A Kiss Worth Waiting For
by Kristen3
Summary: Niles has realized that his feelings for Daphne will not go away, so the only solution is to tell her that he loves her. One conversation can completely change your life. One-shot that got split.
1. Chapter 1

Niles couldn't help but stare as Daphne made her way toward the counter to pick up some coffee beans.

Frasier rolled his eyes in disgust. He was about to offer a sarcastic comment, when Daphne turned around and walked back toward them, beans in hand. "Well, I'll see you at home, Dr. Crane," she said to her boss. "I'm sure you and your brother don't need me in your way while you're talking."

"Daphne, you could never be in the way. I always enjoy your company," Niles said immediately.

"Oh, well, aren't you sweet?" Daphne smiled. She bent to kiss his cheek before leaving. Niles let out a contented sigh as he touched the place where her lips had been.

This time, Frasier had no reason to hold back. "Don't you think this pathetic little crush of yours has gone far enough?!"

"Oh, Frasier, this is no crush. I love her."

"I would think, as a psychiatrist, you could see that this is just a reaction to the pain of your divorce. You don't want to think of Maris, so your brain distracts itself by focusing on another female – Daphne."

"It's not like that! I've tried to get over her, but it just can't be done. It's love, there's really no other explanation."

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Right," he muttered sarcastically.

"Look, Frasier, do you know how painful it is to hear the woman you promised to love and cherish tell you what a disappointment you are?"

"Sadly, yes, I do," Frasier replied, sighing deeply. He remembered Lilith's many tirades against him in their marriage.

"Then you can understand why, lately, I sometimes have trouble just making myself get out of bed. My life is empty. But then I think of Daphne, and how kind and wonderful she is. And that gives me the strength to go on."

Frasier now looked his brother in the eye. Niles could often go overboard in discussing Daphne, but somehow, Frasier sensed that these words were completely sincere. Never before had he realized the true depth of his brother's feelings for Daphne. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but if you feel so strongly about this, perhaps it's time you told her."

"How am I supposed to do that? Every time I try, all I can think of is, what if she says no? At least if I don't tell her, I can still be her friend."

"But, Niles, how long can you continue to pine for her? What are you going to do, wait until she's engaged to make your move?"

"You have a point. It's only a matter of time before some other man notices how radiant she is. Perhaps I need to strike while the iron is hot, as they say. But how?"

"I can't give you the words, Niles. But come by the house tonight. Dad and I will make ourselves scarce, and you can take it from there."


	2. Chapter 2

Niles nodded in agreement, but as he thought about actually saying the words, he began to grow more nervous. It seemed incredible that one conversation could dramatically change his life. His afternoon sessions seemed to last forever, and he could barely concentrate. Thoughts of Daphne drifting into his working hours was nothing unusual, but most of the time, he was able to pull himself back. However, today, he found he could hardly think of anything else.

Luckily for him, his workday finally did end. As he made the familiar drive to Elliot Bay, Niles still hadn't the slightest clue what he would say to Daphne. Whenever he attempted to rehearse his words, nothing sounded quite right. As he knocked on the door of apartment 1901, all he could do was pray that the right words would come to him in the moment.

"Hello, Dr. Crane!" Daphne greeted him warmly as she opened the door. "Are you here for dinner?"

Niles was uncertain how to answer, as Frasier had merely said that he and his father would not be in their way.

Frasier noticed his brother's confusion. "Actually, Daphne, Dad and I are going out. Niles has something he wants to discuss with you. Come on, Dad."

"Can we go to the Timber Mill?" Martin asked. Frasier merely rolled his eyes in response. But as Martin made his way out the door, he quietly whispered, "Good luck, son," in Niles' ear. Niles gave a slight nod in response.

Once the door was closed, Daphne turned her attention to the younger Crane brother. "Well, what did you want to talk to me about? I'm listening." She couldn't resist the phrase, grinning as she said it. She decided to make herself comfortable, taking a seat on the couch.

Niles was still processing the fact this was it, _the_ moment. "You look lovely," he blurted out.

Daphne looked down at her outfit, blushing a bit. "Oh, well, thank you. But that can't be what you wanted to talk about. You tell me that all the time!"

"Yes, I do," Niles said, suddenly finding the courage to walk toward her. He could feel his heart pounding with each step. He sat down beside her. "Daphne...do you believe in fate?"

The question caught her off-guard. "Well, I suppose I do. I mean, me powers sometimes tell me what's going to happen beforehand, so that must mean it's not just a coincidence. Why do you ask?"

"I never used to believe in any sort of destiny. It's just something we've made up to make our lives more interesting. But then I met you, and I began to wonder."

Daphne sensed that Dr. Crane was feeling nervous. She noticed his hand began to tremble, so she held it, hoping he would be comforted.

Niles nearly gasped as he felt her fingers around his own. His heart started to speed up even more. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself, but it was no use. "Daphne, I just want to thank you for everything you do. I mean, you take care of this place, put up with all of Frasier's demands, _and_ look after Dad. I honestly don't know how you do it."

"Well, thank you, Dr. Crane. But that's me job. I'm sure your father and your brother didn't rush out of here so you could talk about me work. I know something's on your mind. You'll feel better once it's out in the open. Trust me."

If Niles had ever had doubts about Daphne's psychic abilities, they were definitely gone now. "All right. I've been thinking all day about how to tell you this, and nothing seemed right. I wish I had the words to tell you what I want to say. All of my life, I've been listening to operas and reading classical literature. I've seen Romeo profess his love to Juliet. I've watched lovers die for one another on opera stages. And still I have no idea how to say this other than just these three words. I love you."

Daphne listened carefully as Dr. Crane spoke. When he mentioned Romeo and Juliet, she got a chill. Where exactly was this going? "You love me?" she asked. She had heard the words, but her mind could not make sense of what was going on.

"Very much. I've tried so many times to tell myself that I'm just lonely, or that this is a harmless infatuation. But no matter what I do, the feelings remain. My own brother has even tried to tell me to 'get over' you. The only solution is for me to tell you the truth, and accept the consequences."

For a moment, Daphne didn't know what to say. She hadn't seen this coming. But then she remembered his comments at the cafe. Suddenly, certain things began to make sense. "I suppose I've been so focused on me work that I never even noticed all the signs. You're always so sweet to me, complimenting me outfit, or listening to me go on about me boring life. I always thought you were just trying to be a good friend. I never dreamed this would happen. But, at the same time, this feels right. I mean, we're together so often as it is. That has to mean something, right?"

Niles could hardly believe what he was hearing. He hadn't scared Daphne off, or offended her! He felt a rush of gratitude to whatever divine force had led him here. Where just moments ago, he'd been terrified that his world would fall apart, he now felt alive, as if he'd been reborn. "Daphne, would it be all right if I kissed you?"

A smile appeared on her face at once. "I think it would."

Slowly, he leaned forward, intending for this to be nothing more than a simple kiss. The kind people gave at wine-club events, where lips met for less than a second. But all sense of propriety went out the window as Niles realized this was what he'd been dreaming of for so long.

This had all happened so fast that Daphne never had a chance to wonder what kissing him would be like. Now that she knew, it was impossible to stop. Finally, they both gasped for air. But still, Daphne felt the need to be close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, amazed at how safe she felt in his arms. She began to realize then that she still hadn't officially told him how she felt. "I think I love you, too," she whispered.

Niles didn't dare to move. The feeling of Daphne's head resting gently on his shoulder was almost more thrilling than their passionate kisses. Though he would gladly have explored all areas of her body, he sensed that Daphne just wanted to be held right now. He softly kissed her hair. "I've waited so long to hear that. It was worth every second."

**The End**


End file.
